Round 12 of the 2010 Eliteserien season ends on a positive note as both Start with Freeman and Goodson as well as Stabaek with Mikkel Diskerud earn three points and a win.

Start 3 - 0 Kongsvinger

IK Start's Hunter Freeman and Clarence Goodson return to their winning ways in a soggy home victory over a struggling Kongsvinger squad.

Following three Eliteserien losses in a row, Start has returned to their early season form with a high scoring, easy victory over Kongsvinger. Freeman and Goodson started and right and center back respectively and logged a full 90 minutes in the cold and wet conditions.

With the exception of a couple of yellow cards it was a quiet first half in Sør Arena. It wasn't until moments before the halftime whistle that Knut Torum's team set the tone with a goal by Espen Børufsen.

Borfusen's third goal of 2010 came in the 42 minute when took the ball from 20 yards out on the sideline, cut in beating Kongsvinger's Edier Frejd and Cark-Erik Torp and finally rifled a shot far-post past Tobias Johansen for an upper 90 goal.

Start carried their momentum through the break and into the second half when Christian Bolanos sent a perfectly placed long ball, from the 50 yard line, to the feet of an attacking Ole Martin Årst in the 49th minute. Årst got his left foot on the bouncing ball just inside the 18 and ripped a head-on shot through the legs of Johansen for his sixth goal of the season.

Both goals went unanswered by Kongsvinger whom were unable to create a single scoring opportunity until the 83rd minute. But even if they had scored on the free kick and Mame Niang header that kissed the cross bar, it was too late for a comeback.

It was Borufsen again in the 74th minute who secured the victory with his second goal in just over 30 minutes and the third of the game.

For Goodson, it will most likely be his final game until after the World Cup. This past week he was named by US head coach Bob Bradley to the 30 man preliminary World Cup roster. He will assemble with the national team in New Jersey this week to prepare for the tournament

The next round of play commences Monday the 24th when Freeman and Start travel to Oslo to square off against fellow American Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek at Ullevaal Stadion.

Strømsgodset 1 - 3 Stabaek

The away victory against Strømsgodset at Marienlyst Stadion secured back to back wins for Stabaek and Mikkel Diskerud, a first of the 2010 Eliteserien season. The game was complete with six yellow cards and rain from start to finish.

Starting at center midfield, Diskerud was inches away from his second goal of the season with a missed far post shot from 10 yards out in the 45th minute of play.

While Diskerud was unable to finish he was successful in setting up Johan Andersson for a fifth minute goal and early lead. A Diskerud through ball from 20 yards out found the feet of Andersson inside the 18 whom sent a near-post goal skipping past Strømsgodset keeper Adam Larsen.

Strømsgodset answered Andersson's goal with one of their own in the 17th minute to tie it up at one a piece. Øyvind Storflor's low, hard cross was stopped by Stabaek defender Tor Marius Gromstad on the six yard box, but Marcus Pederson pounced on the slight rebound and turned it far post for his league leading, sixth goal of the season.

But Stabaek was unwilling to relent with a second goal by Johan Andersson to take the lead in the final minute of the first half.

Following half time, Strømsgodset returned to the field on fire creating several scoring chances in addition to earning four yellows.

Yet the home team efforts were to no avail after a final goal by Espen Hoff in the 75th minute sealed the deal for Jan Jonnson's team.

It will be a match-up of Americans next Monday the 24th when Diskerud and Stabaek play host to Hunter Freeman and Clarence Goodson of IK Start.

Notes

Despite the abundance of American goalkeepers in Norway, none were able to play a role in this weekend's Eliteserien or 1. Division action.

Steve Clark of Hønefoss watched from the bench with an injured right quad as his team continues to battle Eliteserien relegation after a 0-3 loss to Rosenborg.

1. Division, FC Lyn keeper Tyrel Lacey is out recovering from knee surgery and watched the 2-3 loss to league leaders Ranheim from the sideline.

Neither Colin Burns nor Joe Bendik saw playing time in the 1. Divison matches that resulted in a 3-1 Sarpsborg victory over Tromsdalen and a 2-1 Sogndal win over Strømmen.